Nowadays we’ve the best chance of living longer than ever before. However, it is the quality of the years that is important. It’s never too late to look after your health and the sooner you start the better. Not smoking, a healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption, keeping physically and mentally active and enough relaxation are vital. However, there are times when our lifestyle may not be ideal. With this in mind we take a look at the supplements that can help at specific stages in life.

In your 20s & 30s

Women are advised to take a 400mcg supplement of folic acid from the time they start trying for a baby until the end of the twelfth week of pregnancy since this reduces the chance of developing a neural tube defect such as spina bifida. Some experts recommend all child-bearing-age women take this supplement, whether they are trying to fall pregnant or not, because accidents do happen. It’s clear that omega 3 DHA plays an important role in a child’s brain development before and after she or he’s born. Rich sources are oily fish, but supplements for adults and children are available.

By our mid thirties our bones have reached their peak mass and from then on more cells are lost than are replaced. Consequently, in time bones may become thin and brittle, increasing the risk of fractures. If dieting and exercise regimes stop a woman’s periods, she will be at greater risk of osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong bones. In addition, bones benefit from weight-bearing exercise and from not smoking or drinking too much alcohol.

Whilst the older you get the more likely you are to develop ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, younger people can be affected too. Intensive sports training, occupational repetitive joint use, joint injury or being overweight all increase the risk of joint problems. Glucosamine is part of the protein that forms joint cartilage - which is worn away in osteoarthritis - and chondroitin sulphate acts as part of the joint’s shock absorber. Glucosamine and chondroitin may help to keep joints healthy and flexible as you get older.

Other supplements that can assist at this stage and throughout life include omega 3 to help maintain brain, heart and joint health; magnesium and agnus castus that can aid hormonal balance (for example to help relieve PMS symptoms) and red vine leaf that can help keep leg veins healthy.

In your 40s

During these years heart disease may be in its formative stages or already apparent. In addition to not smoking, keeping active and eating a low-fat diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables, a number of other steps can be taken to protect heart and circulatory health.

Too much cholesterol clogs up arteries so keeping it in check is vital. Garlic can help lower cholesterol and omega 3 fatty acids are cardio-protective by reducing blood stickiness so it’s less likely to clot and by lowering blood triglyceride levels. The body cannot make these essential fatty acids so they need to come from oily fish or a fish oil supplement. Antioxidants mop up free radicals that can damage cells and cause disease. A supplement containing the powerful antioxidants, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, lycopene and selenium, is worthy of consideration.

From our early twenties co-enzyme Q10 levels begin to fall. A lack of this is believed to be associated with heart, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Many doctors recommend taking a Co-Q10 supplement from around the age of forty.

Anxiety and depression are common problems that affect many people. Low levels of brain serotonin are often related to depression and 5-HTP, which is converted to serotonin in the brain, can help to lift mood, lessen anxiety and induce normal sleep.

Of course throughout life joints need looking after and from forty onwards, glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM are recommended to help to keep them healthy and flexible into older age.

From 50 onwards

Keeping the whole body healthy becomes increasingly important during this stage of life when osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, heart attacks, strokes and cancer become more likely. For women menopausal symptoms can be eased with natural oestrogen found in soy isoflavones. Calcium and vitamin D are important since the decline in bone-protective oestrogen that occurs at this time of life means bone mass decreases and the risk of osteoporosis increases.

For men this is the time when prostate gland enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) may cause problematic urinary symptoms: these can be eased with the herb, saw palmetto.

At this time and throughout life, energy levels may fall, leaving someone lacking in vitality. The B vitamins help with energy production and ginseng can provide a boost to help protect against fatigue and stress.

Those people whose diet contains high levels of the antioxidants, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and zinc, are much less likely to develop agerelated macular degeneration - the most common cause of permanent blindness in the developed world. The carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, are also needed to help keep the macula healthy.

Brain health supplements, for example omega 3 fatty acids, ginkgo biloba, phosphatidyl serine, antioxidant vitamins C and E and vitamin B complex are worth considering. In addition to mental activities such as bridge and crosswords and keeping physically and socially active, these supplements may help maintain memory and keep grey matter in good shape.

Joint problems affect a great number of people as they grow older and many practitioners recommend glucosamine to help treat and also prevent arthritis and joint pain and stiffness. Glucosamine is a metabolite made by the body and because less is produced as we age, our joint health may suffer. Scientific evidence also suggests an added benefit from taking a supplement of glucosamine with chondroitin. Preliminary results of a recent trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that glucosamine plus chondroitin significantly reduced moderate to severe knee pain in people suffering from osteoarthritis.¹

¹ Clegg DO et al; NEJM, Feb 2006, vol 354: 795-808

Always seek medical advice before taking supplements, changing diet, or embarking on a new exercise regime, particularly if you have a medical condition or are already taking medication.

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